Abel to Yzerman

If he were a Dive, Chris Osgood would have had his jersey retired after his rookie year. Heck, if he were a Dive the “fans” would expect him to lead off a shootout because they think that if a goalie scores you get two goals instead of one, then they can add that to the amount of saves he had in the final minute of regulation and come up with a reason to throw their hats on the ice.

But…he’s not, never has been and never will be. Of course, he did kick Roy’s ass so that should be enough to get him in, but I digress. Again.

He’s also convinced it won’t happen again and that he’ll one day make a return to the league in which he won a Stanley Cup in 2002.

“I’m 27 years old, so why give up? I’m still below the league average,” smiled the well-spoken first-rounder from the Czech Republic.

“My exercise routine is still not where it used to be but now I’m finally getting closer to pushing it to the max and there are none of the side effects.”

Although he and GM Ken Holland examined the possibility of a comeback this fall, he instead accepted a player development role with the club.

More...and isn’t it interesting that a Calgary writer finds Jiri Fischer visiting for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, while Detroit’s ambitious duo of Ansar Khan and Helene St. James fawned over the Fonz.

Uh oh. Wife’s birthday tonite. Live blogging (at least from me) will most likely be minimal. If I do participate, you’ll know I made the wrong (or right) choice. I’m definitely torn. Regardless, those of you who wish to document your game-time brilliance may do so in the comment section below.

So, I guess it’s “not appropriate” to sit in your front lawn chugging beer while the neighborhood Fall Festivalers parade up and down the sidewalks begging for candy. I guess it’s “juvenile” to make comments about certain people (adults) who probably shouldn’t wear spandex or the ever popular wench costumes. And, yeah, I’ve been told that “falling asleep” with your head resting on the front step of your house sends “the wrong message.”

All of that may be worthy of judgment and criticism. But I can at least say this: My groin isn’t tired.

Welcome to the brilliance that only weary Wing fans can offer in the midst of a way West swing. Live blog will be confined to the comment section tonite. Remember my prediction: the hype that accompanied the Circus’ arrival in Edmonton can only mean an end to Hank’s point streak.

The Emperor’s already posted this over on the KK HQ page, so if you’ve seen it…well, you just sit there quietly. For the rest of you, yes, it’s time to play….Guess That Idiot. That’s right, read the characterization of Dominik Hasek below and tell me what blowhard bag of trash wrote it.

Hasek is still his acrobatic, unpredictable self, on and off the ice, but he no longer routinely steals games for his team like he once did, and on more than a few occasions, he costs his team a victory with his wanderings from the crease. He’s easily among the worst puck-handling goaltenders of all-time, and his fairly recent tendency to overplay shooters results in some goals that probably shouldn’t have been scored. Add to this the fact that his health always seems tenuous and you get the profile of a once great goaltender who is on that long descent down from the top of the mountain.

If you really want to know without guessing, and you can’t figure out by my description of him, then click on “is” in the first sentence of his manifesto. Unfortunately, he’s correct on a few of his points. But the fact that he included Hasek in his little list is more evidence that with every column he attempts to prove some sort of pathetic disconnect with his Michigan roots.

Didn’t I say I wouldn’t whine about the schedule anymore. Didn’t I Gary? If you’re looking to pass the time before they drop the puck on the other side of the world (but in the same conference…ass), I’d recommend Lowetide. A good look at the Wings, with a nice tribute to a few legends.

He (Frank Mahovlich) used to barrel down the left wing and release bombs from inside the blueline in a time when goalies could get beaten by the best shooters on that kind of play.

When I was a kid, the Red Wings had really old guys. Alex Delvecchio looked like the guys who lived in the old folks home I delivered papers to when he was still playing in the NHL, Gordie Howe was an icon who seemed to be as old as hockey itself.

By the way, nearly 150 of you voted to determine the stance we should take this season regarding the treatment of the 11 Dive fans in Denver. Result: a resounding 84 percent (120/143) of you said we should continue to criticize their ignorance at every opportunity.

Would you like me to prepare a list of the reasons why Peter Forsberg will never wear a Wing jersey? I can if you want. It’s not rocket science, or even basic geometry—which I failed. It’s pure logic. Naturally, the same brand of logic can’t be applied to our Diggers.

Yes, Forsberg appears ready to play for Team Sweden in one of the 73 international competitions scheduled over the course of the next 81 days. Yes, he’s probably healthy. Yes, I admit, he’d be a fine addition to a team in (not quite as serious) need of offense.

About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977. No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y. Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation. There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature. Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome: wphoulihan@gmail.com